


A Train Journey

by dashi



Category: Chalet School - Elinor M. Brent-Dyer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-17
Updated: 2015-12-17
Packaged: 2018-05-07 04:26:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,168
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5443268
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dashi/pseuds/dashi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Set between New Chalet School and Exile. Apologies if there are any inconsistencies with CS canon!</p>
    </blockquote>





	A Train Journey

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Elennare](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elennare/gifts).



> Set between New Chalet School and Exile. Apologies if there are any inconsistencies with CS canon!

"Are you coming Nell? They're about to close the doors!"

With a laugh, Nell Wilson swung her light suitcase ahead of her onto the train, and leapt aboard.

"Here I am Hilda! Goodness, that was close!" She half stumbled into a seat, as the door was slammed shut with a loud bang and the train immediately lurched forward. As the motion became smoother, she stood up, lifted her suitcase up into the luggage rack, and looked around with interest. There were six seats in the compartment, two of them were empty, her good friend Hilda sat next to her, and the two window seats which faced each other were occupied by two young men.

"Just in time!" smiled one of the young men. He was slightly built, with very blue eyes and an untidy mop of brown hair.

"I know!" replied Nell. "I wanted to buy some magazines for the journey, but I didn't realise how late it was - my watch seems to have stopped."

"Did you forget to wind it again?" scolded Hilda. "Honestly, Nell!"

"Nell?" said the brown haired man inquiringly, "That's a pretty name."

"Short for Helena."

"Ah, I see. I did have an aunt Helena, but she was usually known as Len."

"Oh really? My mother preferred Len, but my father preferred Nell so that's what I was called. How funny."

Nell and the man exchanged smiles. Hilda had been watching the other man during their brief conversation, and was interested to see a frown darken his handsome face. He was more solid than the first man, with blond hair and brown eyes. Even before the scowl had appeared, his face had a very serious look, in contrast to the brown haired man's relaxed expression.

"Seems rather rude that we know your names - it's Hilda isn't it? - but you don't know ours. I'm Robert Drake, and this is my friend Derek Stephens."

Robert and Nell continued to make conversation, but Derek merely stared out of the window at the lush fields racing past the train. He didn't exactly seem unfriendly, but clearly wanted to be left alone. She shrugged, not overly concerned, and picked up one of the magazines Nell had stuffed hurriedly into her shoulder bag. Starting to read, she silently thanked Nell for providing her with reading matter - even if they had nearly missed the train!

Hilda made an attractive picture, with her sunny brown hair, and clear-cut face lit up by a pair of grey eyes. Next to her, Nell had a very clever face, and her rich chestnut brown hair was particularly striking. They had been friends for several years, but normally they had travelled with a group of friends, this was the first time just the two of them had gone on holiday. 

Hilda suspected the men in their compartment were significantly younger then she and Nell, but there was no harm in having a chat and making the train journey pass more pleasantly.

"So both of you are teachers? What are your subjects?" Robert was asking.

"Oh, I'm science, and Hilda's English literature." Hilda smiled to herself, Nell obviously didn't want to scare him away with the severe sounding "Senior Mistress".

Robert told them about his job in his father's publishing firm, and even Derek joined in to tell them he worked as a journalist.

"When will you go back to England? It's a long way to come just for a midterm break."

"Actually our school is in the Tyrol - oh yes, we teach in English, but also in French and German. All the staff are trilingual, and the girls soon learn."

Hilda noticed Derek lift up his head and take an immediate interest in the conversation.

"We've been there quite a few years now - we have nearly two hundred girls." continued Nell. "It's a beautiful setting, we love it there."

"But how much longer can your school remain in Austria?" Derek asked suddenly, surprising Nell and Robert who hadn't realised he was paying attention.

"What do you mean?" asked Nell, a little offended at the blunt question appearing out of nowhere.

"Well, things aren't looking good between Austria and Germany, are they? Germany's plainly got something in mind. Hitler talks of expanding the Reich, and they say there are spies all over Austria." He paused, then blushed a little as he continued. "In fact, I did wonder if you two were spies - I heard you speaking in fluent German back at the station, and then suddenly you were chatting away in English!" He laughed self-consciously.

"We're definitely not spies!" laughed Nell. Hilda smiled too, wanting to put everyone at ease, but the young man's words had startled her, and she had a lot to think about.

***

The rest of the train journey passed by quickly, the four shared lunch, with Hilda and Nell contributing delicious croissants full to bursting with ham, while the two young men had chocolate bars and a basket of beautifully ripe and juicy plums.

The young men had given up their window seats so that Hilda and Nell could enjoy the view for a while. The warm sun shining through the windows was making Hilda drowsy, and she could feel her eyelids slowly closing. If she concentrated, she could still hear the conversation between Nell and Robert, he was telling Nell stories about his University days, and Nell in turn was telling him entertaining stories from the school. Nell was an excellent storyteller, and Robert gazed at her admiringly as she told him about the time she and a small party from the school had been caught in a terrifying blizzard on the Stubai Glacier.

Eventually they came to the stop where the two women were to leave the train. Robert handed Nell a torn scrap of paper from his railway timetable. "Here's my address - maybe you could write sometime?"

***

"You've made quite an impression, Nell." teased Hilda as the train pulled away from the station. The two women stood on the platform, waiting until the last of the carriages had moved off, and they were able to cross the tracks to reach the small mountain station.

Nell laughed but shook her head. "I don't think so, my dear - but don't worry, I won't leave you - I'm married to the school!"

Seizing their cases, the two friends started walking along the narrow path which led to the small hotel they would be staying in for the duration of their holiday. The sun was sinking in the sky, and its last rays glinted off the mountains high above. Tomorrow they would spend all day walking through the forests and meadows which surrounded them. Walking with Nell was always an experience, she could spend hours inspecting wild flowers, or searching for lizards among the sun-warmed rocks. Hilda squinted forward into the sun, then turned back to see the little railway station behind her. The temperature had dropped, and the clouds were thickening and becoming darker.

"Better walk quickly, Nell. Looks like there's a storm coming."


End file.
